Do you know what the pH of your skin is and how significant it is? This article will tell you everything you need to know about it. The first thing to grasp is the pH, or hydrogen potential, of the skin. It’s a chemical parameter that allows us to measure how acidic or basic a solution is. The neutrality level is seven, with acid values below it (the lower the acid, the lower the number) and basic values above it (the higher the number, the higher the number).
The protective acid mantle that protects our skin, which is generated by the union of the aerial mantle (layer of water vapour and carbon dioxide emitted from cell metabolism) and the epicutaneous emulsion (or hydrolipidic film), has a certain pH level to it.
The hydrolipidic film is formed by the mixture of the secretions of the sweat glands(sweat) and sebaceous glands (fatty acids, squalene and ceramides) with the products from the keratinization of the stratum corneum cells. The substances that give our skin an acidic pH are mainly lactic and urocanic acids, which are eliminated by sweat, and fatty acids provided by the sebaceous gland.
Why is the acid pH of the skin important?
Pathologies can be caused by changes in your skin’s pH. A more basic pH than normal, for example, might create itchy skin, thus we must know our pH to properly care for our skin. We lose water and get dehydrated when our pH is too high.
In addition, the increased pH causes the enzymes required for the skin’s defence function to work properly to malfunction.
The acid mantle of our skin is home to a large number of microorganisms that make up the skin’s natural microbiota. These bacteria arise at the time of birth and remain in balance – with some variations – until the pH of the skin is in the normal acidic range, about pH 5.5.
However, if the pH value of the skin rises, or if the skin becomes alkaline for a period of time, the defence function will be compromised, and the growth of other types of bacteria will occur, which may or may not be dangerous and may cause pathology or the appearance of infections.
